Various devices may be mounted on a single axis, a two-axis, or a three-axis gimbal to facilitate orientation of the device towards a desired direction. FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art radar antenna 102 and a two-axis gimbal system 104. When the radar antenna 102 is affixed to the gimbal system 104, the radar antenna 102 may be pointed in a desired horizontal and/or vertical direction. When the gimbal system 104 includes motors, the radar antenna 102 may be oriented on a real time basis.
For example, when the radar antenna 102 is used in a vehicle, such as an aircraft or a ship, the radar antenna 102 may be continuously swept in a back-and-forth manner along the horizon, thereby generating a view of potential hazards on a radar display. As another example, the radar antenna 102 may be moved so as to detect a strongest return signal, wherein a plurality of rotary encoders or other sensors on the gimbal system 104 provide positional information for determining the direction that the radar antenna 102 is pointed. Thus, based upon a determined orientation of the radar antenna 102, and also based upon a determined range of a source of a detected return signal of interest, a directional radar system is able to identify a location of the source.
The two-axis gimbal system 104 includes a support member 106 with one or more support arms 108 extending therefrom. A first rotational member 110 is rotatably coupled to the support arms 108 to provide for rotation of the radar antenna 102 about the illustrated Z-axis. The first rotational member 110 is rotatably coupled to a second rotational member 112 to provide for rotation of the radar antenna 102 about the illustrated Y-axis, which is perpendicular to the Z-axis.
A moveable portion 114 of the gimbal system 104 may be oriented in a desired position. One or more connection members 116, coupled to the moveable portion 114, secure the radar antenna 102 to the gimbal system 104. Motors (not shown) operate the rotational members 110, 112, thereby pointing the radar antenna 102 in a desired direction.
The gimbal system 104 is affixed to a base 118. The base 118 may optionally house various electronic components therein (not shown), such as components of a radar system. Electronic components coupled to the radar antenna 102, such as the optical communication device 120, are communicatively coupled to the radar system (or to other remote devices) via an optical connection 122. The optical communication device 120 processes detected radar returns into an optical signal that is then communicated to a radar system. The optical connection 122 may be a fiber optic connection that communicates an optical information signal from the optical communication device 120 corresponding to radar signal returns detected by the radar antenna 102.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, the optical connection 122 is physically coupled to the base 118. The optical connection 122 flexes as the optical communication device 120 and the antenna 102 are moved by the gimbal system 104.
Over long periods of time, the optical connection 122, and/or its respective point of attachment 124, may wear and potentially fail due to the repeated flexing as the radar antenna 102 is moved by the gimbal system 104. Failure of the optical connection 122 may result in a hazardous operating condition, such as when the radar antenna 102 and the gimbal system 104 are deployed in an aircraft. Thus, failure of the optical connection 122 would cause a failure of the aircraft's radar system. Accordingly, it is desirable to prevent failure of the optical connection 122 so as to ensure secure and reliable operation of the radar antenna 102.